WPXI assistant news director Pat Maday was named Channel 11's news director yesterday, replacing Jennifer Rigby, who left for a job at WSB in Atlanta earlier this month.

Maday arrived at WPXI in June 1998 from WDIV in Detroit, starting at Channel 11 as an executive producer. He was named assistant news director in August 2000.

"The primary focus of my agenda is really to build on what has been built here," Maday said. "[Former general manager] John Howell and Jennifer took us to an important spot in this market and in this community, and I want to take us from there and go even higher."